8/9/18 11:03am – WHAT A WEEK. We are scrambling here. Breaking down new orders, organizing product, calculating the debt (AH!) and trying to make that time hack for this fest! We have had a bunch of new donors so peep the updated list and THANK YOU SO MUCH for supporting me and my team. I hope to make you all proud!

8/6/18 5:37pm – It is the mad dash to the finish line here. The next few nights a team of friends and cove staff will be giving their all to the production line. WHY? I don’t know I swear I’m an awful human. I’ve even gotten hate mail from this campaign. My skin is thick now, that’s why I am READY TO TAKE THIS ON! I have updated the meter and added the latest donors. Shake these people’s hand for me next time you see them next.

8/4/18 10:46am – UPDATED the progress we are making! AHHHHH Thank you guys so much for your donations and shares! I placed 3 HUGE orders last night and I fear its still not enough! More updates later late to open the store!

8/3/18 10:20am – Woke up to more support, therefore woke up crying lol! Thank you guys, I’ve updated the meter and updated donor names – if you do not wish to be listed , please let me know! I know people like to remain anonymous sometimes. So this morning Danielle (amazing) is watching the store front so I can mail out the payment and place orders and ALSO register for a NY state tax Id. Isn’t this fun? 😉 We had an amazing pod of people in the store last night taking the products from my hands after I made it and packaging it up in bulk for me. It was FIERCE. I came home with buckets of product. All of that has to get designs for labels done , printed, cut and affixed. We work in a sweat shop with good music.

8/2/18 11:39pm – Finished working with an amazing team of volunteers executing designs for hours. This journey will be incredible! We have a few more donations and for 1 day of fundraising we end tonight at $605. THANK YOU. We will keep going until we kill this. So grateful!

8/2/18 5:09pm – Contract is in, Insurance is Updated, Staff Booked and in 5 hours of putting the word out , many incredible people have stepped out to vocalize support, to share our posts, to pledge some dollars! I am really incredibly moved and down to Phish’s KIND staff and their sensitivity to someone as scattered as me has been just amazing. I will keep you ALL posted about this saga as we go and thank you all for any inch of encouragement you’ve given me! I am putting some SERIOUS burns on my credit cards! It’s smoking!

Here is where we are at since first posting this blog! THIS MORNING! It’s amazing:

From the beginning of my business career , phish was there. I started selling jewelry in the parking lots at what fans call “shakedown”. Shakedown is a cosm of commerce , illegal commerce but none the less a pop up street bizarre, one or two parking lot lanes long and it’s where you can buy sell or trade anything from jewelry to crystals to grilled cheese and well… beyond. I sold my wares to get to the next show, and so on and so on until I started making some sick cash actually. I decided from there I wanted to peruse design school while working and then passion after passion.

Since having my son I’ve done whatever I can to stay at his side if he needs me. I still do me, but I’m here. He can be at my store and by MY side and watch the community that is unfolding at the store come to life. The people we meet and reach , it’s incredible . Support begets more support and its incredible.

Ferris Wheel at Festival 8

My husband and I have been to countless phish shows. It’s something we do to let go of all stressors and enjoy some playful music and amazing phans. The festival scene can be really special. Phish fests do not disappoint and are filled with unique camping areas, art installations and vendors- all usually pretty indie and unique. With that , I have applied every year to vend a phish fest and have been denied each year including this one. There was a drop out and phish’s team actually called me to see if I would fill in. I have agreed! It’s not even two weeks away y’all and I do not have the fees , gear or enough product.

Our Coed Bach Party In Atlantic City Phish 6/16/12

WE DO however have support, I’ve cried so many times today and kissed the ground because of that support.

After getting the call it’s been a scramble to put the parts into place to make it happen.The store front will be manned by a group of loyal friends and more loyal friends will be helping me in the days coming and at the festival.

The encouragement has been insane. I couldn’t say no, I’d regret it forever y’all. This is a dream come true and I don’t mean to bust out the violins here but y’all KNOW , this road hasn’t been cake. I am STILL recovering from a major operation, I opened a store front with heavy construction and permit costs and delays, and I do live with a chronic illness I don’t even talk about. I feel so much better than ever and my friends and team are incredible. I believe in US!

What will we sell? Our booth would be located by the General Store and Showers! THIS IS PERFECT. We will sell sundries and it will be the best smelling Phish fest EVER.

Products:

-Soap! SO MANY! WOO HOO!

-Essential Oils & Roll Ons

-Bug Sprays

-Sunscreen

-BethKaya Goodies

-Lotions

-Scrubs

AND MEOWR!

Will you support this?
I need support with gear, tickets, van rental, securing product FAST and the vendor / insurance fees. I hate to ask but I am asking. This means everything and the exposure alone for the business could help us break through and the experience could help us attack some of the major store investments.
Any amount helps!!

WE BELIEVE nourishing ones self with self care rituals is an essential way to cope with well…life! It’s important to fill ourselves up as much as possible.

By contributing you will help us get exposure to OVER 30K fans. We will make a LIFETIME’S worth of connections in the industry and have a memory sealed in forever. I will be able to connect with PHANS I’ve been attending shows with or sharing online with for the last 17+ years. My husband and I could have gone to Ivy League Colleges lol, instead we went to Phish. We traveled everywhere, hung with great friends and enjoyed freedom inside of our favorite band. It’s changed and shaped our lives! Our team deserves this and so do I! We are doing it either way, but with your help – I won’t sink the whole ship trying to! Thank you so much!

We will reach out to EVERY donor if we can (if this goes viral, bets are off there – ain’t gonna lie!). If you cannot throw anything to this today, PLEASE do not feel bad! A share helps or consider buying something special from my etsy someday! Thank you so much for reading!